2023–24 Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team Intercollegiate basketball season
The 2023–24 Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team represented the University of Tennessee in the 2023–24 college basketball season. Led by former Lady Vol Kellie Harper ,[ 1] in her fifth year as head coach, the team played their games at Thompson–Boling Arena as members of the Southeastern Conference .
The Lady Vols finished the season with a 20–13 overall record, 10–6 in the conference. They received a bye in the SEC tournament and advanced to the semifinals, where they lost by one point to South Carolina.[ 2] The Lady Vols earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament , advancing to the second round before losing to North Carolina State.[ 3]
On April 1, 2024, Tennessee announced that Harper was fired after five seasons.[ 4]
On April 15, 2024, senior Rickea Jackson was selected by the Los Angeles Sparks , via the Seattle Storm , as the #4 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft .[ 5]
Previous season
The 2022–23 team finished the season with a 25–12 overall record, 13–3 in the conference. They advanced to the finals of the SEC tournament , where they lost to South Carolina.[ 6] Finishing strong in the conference, the Lady Vols earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament , advancing to the Sweet Sixteen before losing to Virginia Tech.[ 7]
Roster
2023–24 Tennessee Lady Volunteers women's basketball team
Players
Coaches
Pos.
#
Name
Height
Year
Previous school
Hometown
G
0
Jewel Spear
5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Sr
Wake Forest University
The Colony, TX
G/F
1
Sara Puckett
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Jr
Muscle Shoals HS
Muscle Shoals, AL
F
2
Rickea Jackson
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Sr
Mississippi State University
Detroit, MI
G
5
Kaiya Wynn
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Jr
Foster HS
Richmond, TX
G
10
Destinee Wells
5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Sr
Belmont University
Lakeland, TN
F
11
Karoline Striplin
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Jr
Geneva HS
Hartford, AL
G
12
Edie Darby
5 ft 7 in (1.7 m)
So
Greenfield HS
Greenfield, TN
G/F
13
Avery Strickland
5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
So
University of Pittsburgh
Knoxville, TN
G
15
Jasmine Powell
5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Sr
University of Minnesota
Detroit, MI
C
20
Tamari Key
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
RS Sr
Cary HS
Cary, NC
G/F
21
Tess Darby
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Sr
Greenfield HS
Greenfield, TN
F
53
Jillian Hollingshead
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Jr
University of Georgia
Gainesville, GA
G
55
Talaysia Cooper
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
So
University of South Carolina
Turbeville, SC
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
(W) Walk-on
Roster
Schedule and results
Date time, TV
Rank#
Opponent#
Result
Record
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Site (attendance) city, state
Exhibition
10/30/2023 *6:30 p.m., SECN+
No. 11
Carson–Newman
W 105–72
17 – Jackson
8 – Tied
6 – Wells
Thompson–Boling Arena (7,819)Knoxville, TN
11/5/2023 *6:00 p.m., SECN
No. 11
USA Women's National Team
L 59–95
15 – Jackson
7 – Powell
3 – Wynn
Thompson–Boling Arena (6,179)Knoxville, TN
Non-conference regular season
11/7/2023 *6:30 p.m., SECN+
No. 11
Florida A&M
W 93–64
1–0
20 – Tied
12 – Hollingshead
6 – Wells
Thompson–Boling Arena (7,684)Knoxville, TN
11/9/2023 *6:00 p.m., ESPN2
No. 11
at No. 18 Florida State
L 91–92
1–1
31 – Jackson
17 – Jackson
4 – Jackson
Donald L. Tucker Center (2,898)Tallahassee, FL
11/13/2023 *6:30 p.m., SECN+
No. 15
Memphis
W 84–74 OT
2–1
24 – Puckett
12 – Spear
3 – Spear
Thompson–Boling Arena (7,729)Knoxville, TN
11/19/2023 *2:00 p.m., SECN+
No. 15
Troy
W 100–73
3–1
19 – Striplin
14 – Striplin
8 – Wells
Thompson–Boling Arena (7,782)Knoxville, TN
11/23/2023 *6:00 p.m., FOX
No. 19
vs. No. 21 Indiana Fort Myers Tip-Off
L 57–71
3–2
13 – Tied
7 – Puckett
3 – Wells
Suncoast Credit Union Arena (1,314)Fort Myers, FL
11/25/2023 *1:30 p.m.
No. 19
vs. No. 22 Oklahoma Fort Myers Tip-Off
W 76–73
4–2
19 – Powell
8 – Tied
3 – Spear
Suncoast Credit Union Arena (478)Fort Myers, FL
11/29/2023 *5:00 p.m., ESPN2
No. 20
No. 18 Notre Dame ACC–SEC Challenge
L 69–74
4–3
14 – Powell
7 – Powell
5 – Wells
Thompson–Boling Arena (8,211)Knoxville, TN
12/3/2023 *5:00 p.m., ESPN
No. 20
No. 16 Ohio State Jimmy V Classic
L 58–78
4–4
11 – Wells
7 – Hollingshead
3 – Tied
Thompson–Boling Arena (8,723)Knoxville, TN
12/6/2023 *7:30 p.m., ESPN+
vs. Middle Tennessee
L 62–73
4–5
29 – Striplin
6 – Tied
4 – Powell
Spragins Hall (5,015)Huntsville, AL
12/10/2023 *2:00 p.m., SECN+
Eastern Kentucky
W 72–63
5–5
17 – Striplin
9 – Hollingshead
5 – Powell
Thompson–Boling Arena (7,785)Knoxville, TN
12/19/2023 *6:30 p.m., SECN+
Wofford
W 85–63
6–5
18 – Spear
10 – Hollingshead
10 – Powell
Thompson–Boling Arena (7,900)Knoxville, TN
12/31/2023 *2:00 p.m., ESPN+
at Liberty
W 90–55
7–5
21 – Jackson
7 – Tied
7 – Wynn
Liberty Arena (2,105)Lynchburg, VA
SEC regular season
1/4/2024 8:00 p.m., SECN+
at Auburn
W 75–65
8–5 (1–0)
24 – Jackson
19 – Jackson
6 – Wynn
Neville Arena Auburn, AL
1/7/2024 12:00 p.m., SECN
Kentucky Rivalry
W 87–69
9–5 (2–0)
27 – Jackson
7 – Tied
9 – Powell
Thompson–Boling Arena (8,823)Knoxville, TN
1/11/2024 7:00 p.m., SECN
Florida
W 88–81
10–5 (3–0)
20 – Tied
8 – Tied
4 – Powell
Thompson–Boling Arena (7,605)Knoxville, TN
1/14/2024 5:00 p.m., ESPN
at Texas A&M
L 56–71
10–6 (3–1)
12 – Puckett
7 – Puckett
5 – Puckett
Reed Arena (4,785)College Station, TX
1/18/2024 7:00 p.m., SECN
at Mississippi State
W 75–64
11–6 (4–1)
19 – Jackson
7 – Jackson
7 – Powell
Humphrey Coliseum (5,507)Starkville, MS
1/21/2024 3:00 p.m., SECN
Vanderbilt Rivalry
W 73–64
12–6 (5–1)
16 – Jackson
10 – Jackson
8 – Powell
Thompson–Boling Arena (9,088)Knoxville, TN
1/28/2024 3:00 p.m., ESPN
at Ole Miss
L 75–80
12–7 (5–2)
30 – Spear
6 – Jackson
6 – Powell
SJB Pavilion (3,863)Oxford, MS
2/1/2024 7:00 p.m., SECN
at Georgia
W 95–73
13–7 (6–2)
25 – Spear
8 – Key
9 – Powell
Stegeman Coliseum (2,596)Athens, GA
2/4/2024 2:00 p.m., SECN+
Missouri
W 80–69
14–7 (7–2)
22 – Spear
6 – Spear
6 – Tied
Thompson–Boling Arena (9,190)Knoxville, TN
2/8/2024 7:00 p.m., SECN+
at Alabama
L 56–72
14–8 (7–3)
13 – Jackson
7 – Key
3 – Tied
Coleman Coliseum (2,655)Tuscaloosa, AL
2/12/2024 7:00 p.m., SECN
Arkansas
W 81–55
15–8 (8–3)
21 – Jackson
10 – Hollingshead
7 – Spear
Thompson–Boling Arena (8,161)Knoxville, TN
2/15/2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN
No. 1 South Carolina
L 55–66
15–9 (8–4)
19 – Jackson
8 – Powell
3 – Jackson
Thompson–Boling Arena (11,073)Knoxville, TN
2/18/2024 2:00 p.m., SECN
at Vanderbilt Rivalry
W 86–61
16–9 (9–4)
24 – Jackson
7 – Jackson
4 – Jackson
Memorial Gymnasium (6,259)Nashville, TN
2/25/2024 12:00 p.m., ESPN
No. 13 LSU
L 60–75
16–10 (9–5)
16 – Jackson
9 – Jackson
6 – Powell
Thompson–Boling Arena (15,261)Knoxville, TN
2/29/2024 7:00 p.m., SECN
Texas A&M
W 75–66
17–10 (10–5)
27 – Jackson
7 – Key
6 – Powell
Thompson–Boling Arena (8,161)Knoxville, TN
3/3/2024 12:00 p.m., ESPN
at No. 1 South Carolina
L 68–76
17–11 (10–6)
29 – Jackson
8 – Jackson
3 – Powell
Colonial Life Arena (18,000)Columbia, SC
SEC tournament
3/7/2024 2:30 p.m., SECN
(5)
vs. (12) Kentucky Second Round / Rivalry
W 76–62
18–11
22 – Puckett
11 – Darby
4 – Powell
Bon Secours Wellness Arena (6,144)Greenville, SC
3/8/2024 2:30 p.m., SECN
(5)
vs. (4) Alabama Quarterfinals
W 83–61
19–11
24 – Spear
9 – Jackson
6 – Wynn
Bon Secours Wellness Arena (8,841)Greenville, SC
3/9/2024 4:30 p.m., ESPNU
(5)
vs. (1) No. 1 South Carolina Semifinals
L 73–74
19–12
22 – Jackson
9 – Jackson
8 – Jackson
Bon Secours Wellness Arena (12,784)Greenville, SC
NCAA tournament
3/23/2024 *12:00 p.m., ESPN
(6 P4)
vs. (11 P4) Green Bay First Round
W 92–63
20–12
26 – Johnson
9 – Johnson
6 – Powell
Reynolds Coliseum Raleigh, NC
3/25/2024 *4:00 p.m., ESPN
(6 P4)
at (3 P4) No. 11 NC State Second Round
L 72–79
20–13
33 – Jackson
10 – Jackson
7 – Powell
Reynolds Coliseum (4,803)Raleigh, NC
Rankings
Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Final AP 11 15 19 20 RV — — — — — — — — RV RV RV — — RV RV Not released Coaches 12 20 21 22 RV — — — — — — RV — RV RV RV RV RV RV RV
References
^ Voepel, Mechelle (April 8, 2019). "Sources: Lady Vols to hire Harper as coach" . ESPN.com . Retrieved July 17, 2023 .
^ Iacobelli, Pete (March 9, 2024). "Cardoso's first-ever 3 rescues No. 1 South Carolina at SEC Tournament with 74-73 win over Lady Vols" . Associated Press. Retrieved March 25, 2024 .
^ Lady Vols’ comeback against NC State comes up short Lady Vols basketball can't complete comeback against No. 1 seed Virginia Tech in Sweet 16
^ "Tennessee Athletics Announces Change Of Leadership In Women's Basketball" . Tennessee Volunteers Athletics . April 1, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2024 .
^ "WNBA Draft '24: Draft Results" . April 15, 2024. Retrieved April 17, 2024 .
^ South Carolina women's basketball stays perfect, wins SEC championship 74-58 vs. Tennessee
^ Lady Vols basketball can't complete comeback against No. 1 seed Virginia Tech in Sweet 16
Venues Rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons AIAW and NCAA national championships in bold; AIAW and NCAA Final Four appearances in italics